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\ @uitrit tutes garrot @frn VAGINAL IRRIGATOR.

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Be it known that I, MORRIS MATTSON, of the city`of New York, inthe county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful instrument for washing and cleansng the vagina, and for use in treating the diseases of that organ and the womb, called a Vaginal Irrigator; and I do hereby decla-'re that the t following is a full, clear, and eiiaet description thereof, and of its mode or manner of operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and 'making a part of thls specification.

My invention .is specially adapted, as its name indicates, for washing and cleansing the vagina, and is so" eonstructcdthat it "will perform such olices and kindred ones in the treatment of diseases of such orga-n far more etl'eetually than any instrument that has heretofore been introduced into practice.

Figure `1 is a representation of such instrument in connection with4 the elastic bulb and flexible tube of a common syringe.

Figure 2 is a dctachedview of the external portion of the irrigator. i Y

Figure 3 is a like view o'f the central or spray-tube, with its perforated top removed.

Figure 4 shows theeperforated top.

Figure 5 is'a top view of the ferrule. p

The instrument, which is known as the vaginal or female tube, and whichis in common use for washing and cleansing the vagina, is a tubefgenerally four or vc inches long, with a diameter at the thickest part varying from three-eighthsto three-quarters of an inch or more, and has several perforatons at its extremity, and sometimes `along its sides, for the escape and distribution of the water or other fluid which is to be'injected through it. Such a form of tube can, however, accomplish bul; veryimperfectly its purpose, as will be apparent `by reference to the structure of the vagina and its relation to the neck of the womb', which it encircles. ".Lhe vagina, in the adult female, is a canal, five or siv inches long, having at its upper extremity the neck of the womb, which it encircles, and which projects half an inch or moreinto the vaginal cavity. The lining membrane. of the vagina is a loose structure, consisting of numerous folds, which allow `of great distension.. These loose folds of the vaginalmembrane, which fall aud collapse about the ordinaryinjecting tubes, such as above described, prevent a thorough washing of the vagin-a, and also, by closing about the neck of the womb, prevent 'more or less theaceess thereto of the injected fluid. The cleansing process is therefore necessarily imperfect.

` -My improved instrument or vaginal irrigator is intendcdto overcome the diilculties enumerated. Such l instrument ,consists generally of an outer cylinder made of small wires xed to partially open heads, within which cylinder, and extendingl nearly tothe upperenrkis a cent1-al tube having a perforated cap, and with which tube connects any ordinary syringe. The outer cylinder A is-usuallyabout threeinehes long, and is made cylindrial, so as toput the membranes of the vagina as much as possible upon the stretch, and thereby allow the injected fluid 4to corne in'eontact with Yit in every direction. In addition to such 'distension of the vagina, the neck of the womb, being pushcdup by the cylinder A as it is introduced into the vagina-the upper end or top of such cylinder having one or two cross-bars, as shown in the drawings, to more certainly push .up the neck of the womb-is enthely exposed to the action of the injected spray, as it issues from the central tube B, and is thus thoroughly cleansed. This cleansing, in reference to the neck of thewomb, is of much importance, as theY cavity o t' the womb frequently becomes diseased, and,`as a result, pours out an abundant secretion, which collects-about the neck and in the upper part of the vagina, and is not easily removed by the ordinary .injecting'tubes The injected fiuid, which is forced through the tube liby any syringe, is thrown, hy means of the perforated cap C, in the form of a spray, first upon the neck of the womb, vand falls downwardand gradually iills the vagina, and may he prevented from escaping by pressing the soft external parts about the lower end of thc tube B. The vagina being completely distended by the cylinder andthe iiuid, the irrigator, which is supposed to be entirely within thc vaginal cavity, may be slightly rotated, and may also be moved upward and downward in. an axial line, and in this way all .the leueorrheeal secretions will be completely detached from the membrane, so as to mingle with the injected fluid; `Such iluid may then be allowed to escape, andlfresh fluid injected until the cleansing process is completed in a satisfactory manner.

Leucorrhal discharges are a great annoyance to females, and their removal'is always desirable equally in `reference to health, comfort, and delicacy. Physicians also, in the treatment of fcmale diseases, desire to have such irritating and offensive secretions removed, and to bring into Contact with every portion of the vaginal cavity, including the neck of the womb, which projects into it, any iuid or weak medicinal solution such as in their opinion is best adapted to the case. All this can be accomplishedmore satisfactorily and certainly by my improved instrument than by any other instrument or method heretofore devised or used.

The cylinder A may be made of perforated metal intead of wires, though I prefer the latter. It should, however, in all cases, be sufficiently open to permit free circulationof the luid Athrough it. It may also be made of various sizes according to the wants of those who may seek its benefits.

To render it easily possible to keep the instrument entirely clean, and free from any offensive matter, or from anything which may interfere with 'its proper action, the tube B connects to the cylinder A by a screw upon the part D which forms the bottom of the cylinder, and the spray or perforated cap C also screws upon the end of the tube B, as shown in gs. 2 and 3. Every part of the irrigator is thus easily kept clean and in complete working order.

Such instrument, with its accompanying metallic connection F, which contains a suitable valve, may be used in connection with any form of syringe having an elastic outlet-tube. It cam-however, be used much more conveniently and satisfactorily inconnection with'my improved syringe haring a rigid sectional inlettube, patented to meon the iiftli day of February, 1867, represented in iig. 1, as the syringe is maintained in `a vertical position in the vessel containing the fluid to be injected, and the hand being supported by the rigid inlet-tube, the patient can operate the syringe with much greater case and facility than would be possible ifa flexible inlet-tube were made use of. The cylinder A, when made longerand the sprayetube B removed, may be conveniently used as a vaginal specnlum. The Huid, instead of being injected from the tube B in a spray, may be delivered in one or more iiner or larger jets, if in any case desirable or found necessary.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

`An instrument for washing and cleansing the vaginznand for use in treating diseases of' that organ and of the womb, having an outer perforated or open cylinder, and within such cylinder an injecting-tube for a spray or jet, substantially and for the purposes set forth.

M. MATTSON.

Witnesses:

S. DLA-w, FRED. .'B. Salins. 

